Granola with Shredded Coconut & Maple

Who doesn't love granola. This is my go to recipe. Use any combination of nuts, seeds & dried fruit. Chocolate chips are a worthy addition if that is your thing. I don't always mix my dried fruit into the entire batch. Instead I just add it whenever I'm using a portion so that I can switch it up if I want to. I just don't want that commitment haha! If I'm in the mood for raisins one day, dried cranberries the next, or some chocolate here and there I can make it happen. I love granola with vegan yogurt or oat milk, pr as a garnish on smoothie bowls or even sprinkled into a green salad with fresh berries. Delicious!  

Granola Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole oats
• 1 1/2 cups nuts & seeds, any combination. I used pecans & pumpkin seeds for photo
• 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup dried fruit **
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp flaked kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl except for dried fruit. 
2. Dump onto a parchment lined baking sheet. 
   
3. Bake in a 300F oven for about 45 minutes. Stir Every 10 minutes. My baking sheet was a cookie sheet not a larger sheet pan, so I think if the granola mixture was more spread out it might take less time. It just wants to be light golden brown. It will still feel soft when it comes out of the oven, but crisps up as it cools.
   
4. Cool completely then transfer to a sealed container. Stir in fruit/chocolate at the end if desired. 
   

** In the first photo I dehydrated my own strawberries. I sliced 2 pints of strawberries and used all of them in a batch of granola. I put sliced strawberries in my dehydrator at 140F. After 3 hours some of them were ready. However, some of the thicker ones took 4 times longer. I just keep checking every couple hours and removing any that are ready. For the record, dehydrated strawberries taste like candy, but are definitely a lot better for you!